Kayla Nicole is opening up about where she stands with ex-boyfriend Travis Kelce.
“We’ve seen each other in public spaces before but it’s — I think that we’re both aware of the nature of his new situation that there’s just no room really for us to communicate or acknowledge each other publicly without it being spun into something crazy,” Nicole, 32, revealed on the Thursday, October 10, episode of the “Unapologetically Angel” podcast. “I’ll probably hit him with, like, a head nod. That’s about it.”
Nicole dated Kelce, 35, off and on between 2017 to 2022 before they split for good. The NFL player later moved on with global pop superstar Taylor Swift in July 2023.
“He’s a great guy,” the sports broadcaster said about her past relationship with Kelce. “That was a good time in my life. So many lessons learned, but that’s with every relationship.”
When asked by host Angel Reese whether she would ever be in another public relationship, Nicole shared her hesitation.
“I don’t see myself doing that anytime soon,” she explained. “People can’t pick at what they don’t know about. I would just protect my relationships from here on out.”
While Nicole didn’t say Swift’s name during the candid podcast, she seemingly addressed the online hate she has received from some Swifties. Even a year after Kelce moved on with Swift, 34, Nicole can’t seem to avoid some critical comments.
Travis Kelce and Kayla Nicole attend the 11th Annual NFL Honors at YouTube Theater on February 10, 2022 in Inglewood, California. Amy Sussman/Getty Images
“I would be lying if I said that that level of hate and just, like, online chaos doesn’t impact me,” she revealed. “It does, even to this day. You can go to my most recent post and it will be people debating each other why I am worthless and I’ll never be a talented person and I have no career.”
“I think that there’s something about that level of fame that attracts crazy people,” she continued. “It’s unfortunate because I’ve never done anything to warrant that kind of backlash.”
Another disappointment Nicole has faced is no longer being as close to the wives and girlfriends of other Chiefs players. Now that her relationship is over, things aren’t the same.
Travis Kelce is one of the greatest NFL tight ends in history, but his slow start to the 2024-2025 season has fans talking — and criticizing. “For whatever reason, these past two games it hasn’t gone that way for me,” Kelce said during the September 18 episode of his “New Heights” podcast. “That’s football, man. […]
“We are not as cool as we were before,” she said. “That was, like, family.”
The Ohio native remains part of the NFL scene by serving as a sports analyst. Regardless of what the critics want her to do, Nicole plans to continue covering all teams, including the Chiefs.
“To think I’m not going to talk about the No. 1 team in the NFL with the best quarterback and best tight end? That comes with the territory,” she explained. “They’re gonna have to get over it.”
